飘零影音

Chapter 144 - Arc 10: The Affairs of Sword Cave | Chapter 144: Holding Hands

Translator: Lynn

Over the following ten days, the pair of brothers diligently honed their skills within the Heavenly Demon Cave.

Xu Ziqing expertly wielded the four seasons swordsmanship and his newly comprehended four seasons sword techniques to defeat various demons, consistently pushing his own boundaries. Meanwhile, Yun Lie stood by, safeguarding the practice environment, only intervening when Xu Ziqing faced formidable enemies beyond his capabilities.

By the third day, Rongjin had finally been granted permission to feast, immediately indulging in devouring wherever it went. However, whenever it encountered the Blue, Indigo, and Red Sky Demons, it promptly consumed them, perpetuating its relentless carnage. If Rongjin failed to apprehend a mightier Heavenly Demon, Yun Lie would drive it away to locate more suitable prey.

Throughout these days, Rongjin had sprouted two additional vines, yet its expression remained rather inscrutable. Evidently, while its strength had significantly burgeoned, its spiritual intelligence hadn’t progressed significantly.

While guiding Xu Ziqing through his practice regimen, Yun Lie eventually guided him toward a particular direction, coming to a halt on the eleventh day’s early morning.

Perplexed, Xu Ziqing held his steel and wooden swords firmly, querying, “Yun Shixiong, what’s wrong?”

Yun Lie replied, “You don’t need a speed movement command talisman here, and anyone can depart.”

Xu Ziqing was taken aback, asking, “Why?” Logically, considering the Heavenly Demon Cave was a conjoint effort of numerous formidable practitioners, there shouldn’t be such a loophole.

Yun Lie explained, “Formation also implies an ‘escape.’ This escape signifies life itself and a potential for transformation. The Heavenly Demon Cave isn’t a realm devoid of hope; there’s a path to survival.”

Xu Ziqing comprehended this upon hearing it.

Indeed, when those great practitioners devised this elaborate scheme, they also installed safeguards. Any spell formation wouldn’t completely ensnare individuals, offering a potential exit route.

Here, they stood at the very life gate of the spell formation.

The principle remained consistent.

In the past, Yun Lie himself had trained in the Sword Cave and secretly ventured into the Heavenly Demon Cave. However, his approach was markedly different from Xu Ziqing’s impulsive entry. Yun Lie had sensed an ominous aura before entering intentionally, using it as an opportunity to refine his capacity for violence.

During that period, Yun Lie didn’t carry a speed movement command talisman, deliberately eliminating his exit strategy. His venture spanned a whole decade. Beginning with a mid-Golden Core Transformation stage cultivation, he slew numerous Heavenly Demons inside, becoming intimately acquainted with their vulnerabilities and tactics.

Over the course of those years, he dispatched countless demons, even navigating the subterranean tunnels and deciphering the labyrinthine routes of the demon caves, ultimately discovering the exit.

Witnessing Xu Ziqing’s comprehension, Yun Lie simply instructed, “Come here.”

Naturally compliant, Xu Ziqing recalled Rongjin, who was still being petulant, coaxed it into his body, and immediately approached Yun Lie’s side.

Yun Lie seized Xu Ziqing’s wrist, advising, “Don’t resist.” In an instant, they levitated, hurtling towards a seemingly solid stone wall.

Instinctively, Xu Ziqing shut his eyes, intending to channel his true energy for protection. Yet, he recalled his senior brother’s words, refraining from exerting force. Taking a deep breath, he collided with the wall alongside Yun Lie.

The wall posed no obstruction, emitting an attractive force upon contact. Swiftly, they were drawn in, vanishing in an instant.

For a brief moment, the world spun around Xu Ziqing. Before he knew it, his feet were planted on solid ground.

As his wrist was released, Xu Ziqing opened his eyes, greeted by the sight of a cave. However, the illumination differed from before—it was brilliantly lit.

It was daytime now, as it should be.

At this point, Xu Ziqing was more assured that they had indeed reached the surface.

Yet, as he breathed a sigh of relief and turned to address his senior brother, he spotted Yun Lie seated cross-legged, causing immediate concern. He wondered whether his senior brother had sustained an injury. Swiftly covering the distance in a few strides, Xu Ziqing inquired, “Yun Shixiong, are you okay?”

Yun Lie raised his gaze, responding, “Emerging from the gate of life takes some time to adjust my breath. I’ll be fine soon.”

Despite its appearance as a gate of life, it was fraught with danger. Without a sufficient reserve of true energy, one could easily become lost within it, unable to escape.

Yun Lie possessed formidable true energy, easily emerging from the gate of life even when he was at the peak of the Golden Core Transformation stage. Now a Golden Core stage cultivator, his true energy surpassed previous levels, rendering the effort negligible. However, accompanying Xu Ziqing meant that he had to focus on safeguarding him, adding complexity to the endeavor.

Finally at ease, Xu Ziqing quickly grasped that if he became a burden to his senior brother, he would feel reluctant. While he lamented not contributing more due to his brief training, he recognized his limitations. Despite being somewhat embarrassed about the mishap in the Tianmo Cave, his attachment to Yun Lie grew. That incident had laid bare his vulnerabilities before Yun Lie, rendering other concerns irrelevant. With this realization, his frustration increased, wishing he could have been born decades earlier to be a capable senior brother’s aide.

Amidst his reverie, Yun Lie had already begun his closed-eyed practice.

Observing Yun Lie silently, Xu Ziqing contemplated his gains from the cave, calculating their worth.

Throughout this expedition in the Heavenly Demon Cave, he had acquired a total of 450 Blue Sky Demon crystal cores, 80 Indigo Sky Demon crystal cores, 32 Red Sky Demon crystal cores, and three Yaksha Sky Demon crystal cores. While he hadn’t encountered a Rakshasa Sky Demon, which was said to be stronger than the Yaksha Heavenly Demon, he also had heard that the formidable Asura Sky Demon resided in the cave’s depths.

While these gains were not comparable to the multitude of powerful demons slain by Yun Lie, they represented a significant accomplishment for Xu Ziqing, a young monk in the mid-stage of foundation establishment.

Content with his assessment, Xu Ziqing turned his thoughts toward the future.

He had formulated a plan. Having already acquired a sword technique, he no longer needed to pursue additional techniques greedily. Instead, he aimed to grow more adept with the one he had learned. Yet, recognizing that he did not follow the path of sword cultivation, he contemplated other avenues.

The path of magic intrigued him. Armed with the legendary “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique,” he had an abundance of material to study. Learning from its main chapters, sub-chapters, fragments, and derivative sections over time seemed a prudent approach. Forging ahead, he would search for secondary wood and secondary wood elements to refine the technique further.

This endeavor demanded patience.

Yet, Xu Ziqing could strive to bridge this gap in his knowledge and abilities as swiftly as possible.

For instance, the path of talismans. Even if he wasn’t proficient at crafting them, the ability to manipulate them was an asset. His senior brother had entrusted him with the task of refining the bamboo pipe, implying he should grasp the technique. Being unaware of it when the need arises could lead to dire consequences. Furthermore, understanding the basics of alchemy was crucial, especially when dealing with rare herbs and plants. As for the magic circle, it could prove invaluable in future secret realm explorations, alongside various unconventional methods and tactics.

Considered together, Xu Ziqing realized his background and knowledge were insufficient.

Once hindered by limited resources, he was now a direct disciple of Wuling Immortal Sect’s inner sect, endowed with a wealth of resources comparable to grains of sand in the Ganges River.

Engrossed in his thoughts, Xu Ziqing’s attention returned when Yun Lie concluded his meditation.

Seeing that his senior brother was unscathed, he smiled and inquired, “Yun Shixiong, how do you feel now?”

Yun Lie nodded slightly, replying, “I’m much better.”

Satisfied with the response, Xu Ziqing observed as Yun Lie stood up, approached him, and asked, “Do you know where we are?”

Exiting the cave, Yun Lie gestured to the surroundings, saying, “This is a desolate mountain, located 500 miles from the sect’s entrance.”

As Xu Ziqing stepped out and surveyed the area, he noted the scarcity of individuals and trees, with limited shelter on the ground, indicating a lack of monstrous creatures. He reasoned that the senior brother’s exit from the life gate would have consumed substantial energy, especially for ordinary disciples. Recognizing there was no imminent danger, he surmised that all disciples could recuperate and recharge after leaving the Heavenly Demon Cave. It appeared to be a well-thought-out arrangement.

However, Xu Ziqing was unaware of another purpose—Wuling Immortal Sect’s Jiangsheng Gate exit was situated here, doubling as an escape route. Should the sect face a calamity, disciples could seek refuge in the Heavenly Demon Cave, avoiding the disaster and preserving the sect’s foundation.

After contemplating for a while, Xu Ziqing suddenly sensed a breeze. Detecting no hostility, he reacted swiftly and managed to catch something in his hand. Looking down, he discovered a storage bag.

“Shixiong?” He was taken aback, but upon inspection, he realized it contained demonic energy and hundreds of large-sized crystal cores, likely the ones Yun Lie had acquired in the Heavenly Demon Cave.

Yun Lie’s voice resonated, “This holds no value for me. When you return to the sect, you can exchange it for your needs.”

Xu Ziqing’s heart trembled. He had been focused on his future progress, yet his senior brother had already seen through him. How could he not be moved?

Amidst swirling emotions, he managed to regain his composure. Gazing at Yun Lie, he noticed the man retained the same cold exterior he had when they first met years ago. However, a sense of care emanated from him, evoking complex feelings in Xu Ziqing, ultimately granting him solace.

Drawing a deep breath, he recognized the kindness he’d received from his senior brother since their first encounter. The help he continued to receive demonstrated an even deeper connection. Yet, with his current limited strength, he felt powerless to repay it all. Still, he held Yun Lie dear as his only family, so he held a significant place in his senior brother’s heart. Given that, why burden himself with excessive concern and pretense?

His current priority wasn’t calculating the depth of his indebtedness, but cherishing his brother’s friendship. The future stretched ahead, and Xu Ziqing once aspired solely to match his senior brother’s abilities and express his gratitude. Yet, overthinking things complicated matters. In truth, he needn’t continuously mull over the help his senior brother was willing to provide. If he possessed the capacity, he would be just as willing to assist Yun Lie.

No matter how much his brother bestowed upon him, he would never exhaust it all. Since the end was not in sight, why worry about its arrival? The path to immortality stretched long; he and his senior brother were companions in practice, bound through life and death. It seemed excessive to be fixated on such matters. After all, with what he had, he would willingly share it with his senior brother!

Contemplating this, Xu Ziqing experienced a moment of revelation.

It was akin to sunlight piercing through clouds, rendering his vision clear, while a layer of dust gently departed from his heart.

His spirits lifted as a result.

A radiant smile spread across his face as he exclaimed, “Thank you, Shixiong.”

<<End of Arc 10: The Affairs of Sword Cave>>

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